Needing a Hug
by blankdreamer-13
Summary: Aang knows that everything's going to change, his family is heading in different directions. He needs a hug. But can he get Toph to give him one? Postwar oneshot


A/N: For some reason, I'm a lot more inspired to write more. Must be the boredom getting to me. That or all the fics I've been reading.

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar or the characters

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**Needing a Hug**

The hundred year was over. Fire Lord Ozai was defeated just before the comet came, and the Fire Nation laid down their arms. Peace had returned and balance was restored to the world. Everything was as it should be, and everyone was happy.

Or at least everyone should.

The Avatar was restless. He was currently sitting on top of the Fire Nation Palace, looking up at the starry night sky. He couldn't sleep, his thoughts wouldn't give him enough peace to do so. True, he had a lot to be happy about. He had just managed to save the world from its own destruction after a hundred years of war, not a lot of people can boast of that. But that was also the reason that the life he had come to know and grow accustomed to was suddenly going to change.

His family was going to drift apart from this point on. It was inevitable. They each had their own lives to lead. Zuko was going to stay in the Fire Nation and prepare himself to inherit the crown of the Fire Lord. Toph had received a letter from her parents and had finally agreed to their requests of having her come back home. Sokka and Katara were going to return to the Southern Water Tribe with Hakoda and help rebuild. And he, as the Avatar, had the whole world to travel, doing everything and anything he could to maintain the balance he had just restored. Plus, there was the part of having to find any remnants of the Air Nomads.

The more he thought about it, the lonelier he got. Soon, he would only have Appa and Momo with him in his travels. Sure, he might go on an adventure with one of the family every now and then, but it wouldn't be the same. As a nomad, his home was wherever and whatever place he could find for the night. But during his travels, he had placed a permanent home, a home with his family.

He sighed, laying back against the tiled roof. Hadn't he come up here to relax himself? Why was it that he only ended up winding himself up even more?

"Twinkle toes? What are you doing up here?"

He turned to find his young earthbending master walking toward him.

"I could ask you the same thing," he smiled.

"Couldn't sleep with Snoozles in the next room snoring like an Armadillo bear."

"Same here, couldn't sleep."

"Really? What's the matter, a bed too good for you now?" she teased, sitting down beside him.

"Nah, but I guess I really would prefer to sleep outside than in a bed. I was thinking..."

She raised her eyebrows in mock surprise. "No, really?" Her voice was dripping with sarcasm.

He gave her a playful shove. "Yes, really." He gazed out into the scenery before he spoke again, "Eveything's going to change."

"Duh, saving the world does that," she replied dryly.

"But not everything is going to change for the better."

"Yeah?" she asked, clearly uninterested. "Like what?"

"Us. Our family."

Toph actually turned to face Aang when he said that. She too had also thought about that, and it had disappointed her quite a bit. She would miss the little family they had made, picking on Sokka, Katara's fussing, Zuko's impersonations, and even Aang's bubbly attitude. But of course she would never admit it.

"Don't be a baby. Come on, did nothing I say during training get through that thick skull of yours?" she asked, rapping her knuckles on his forehead.

"Maybe not all of it," Aang chuckled. He was glad Toph was with him right now, using her own special method of cheering up people. But as soon as he figured out she would not be around for much longer to cheer him up like this, his spirits fell once more. Then, he thought of something that would make him feel a lot better.

"Toph?"

"Hmm?"

"I need a hug."

When her jaw dropped open in disbelief, Aang couldn't help but laugh at her expression. He knew that she would hate the idea, but that probably one of the reasons why he had suggested it. Quickly recovering, Toph faced away from Aang and huffed.

"Aww, come on Toph. It's just a hug," he teased. Aang was clearly enjoying himself.

"If you want a hug, go find Sweetness, I'm sure she'll be glad to give you one."

"But I want a hug from you," he whined childishly. "Come to think of it, I don't think we've ever hugged."

"Hey, I've given hugs before."

"Yeah, but all of them were group hugs. I wanna hug from just you." He smiled at how uncomfortable it was making her. He knew despite her rough exterior that Toph had a soft spot. A soft spot he wanted to be exposed to for once.

"No way," she said flatly, crossing her arms and turning her head away.

"But Tooooooph, it's just that you look sooooo huggable," he said, wrapping his arms around himself in a self hug, emphasizing his point.

At those words, Aang could actually see her cheeks grow a little pink. Whether it was from embarassment, humiliation, or flattery, he had actually managed to draw a blush from Toph, the blind bandit, the self-proclaimed world's greatest earthbender! Fighting the urge to give a victory whoop, he continued.

"Please, Toph?" he asked again, giving her the best puppy dog look he could muster. Too bad she couldn't see it.

"Will you just- Argh! You know what? Fine!"

"What? Really?"

"Yes, really."

"Wow, I actually thought you'd put up more of a fight than that."

"You _want_ me to put up a fight?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Er, no, no." He took a few tentative steps forward. "I won't find myself buried under the castle for this will I?"

She smirked. "I never said anything about the consequences."

Aang shrugged. No matter what she would do, after drawing a blush from her and getting her permission to hug her, it was all worth it. He looked at her a moment. She looked so cute waiting for her hug with her arms open, her cheeks slightly flushed. Deciding not to keep her waiting, he rushed forward and glomped her, pulling her into one of his tightest hugs, and even lifted her a bit, spinning her around.

"Ack! Twinkle toes! Too tight!"

A chuckle escaped from his lips and he loosened his hold on her just a bit. He was surprised to find that she was actually hugging him back. A contented smile formed on his lips.

"I'm really going to miss you Twinkle toes..."

If possible, his smile broadened. "I'm going to miss you too. We all are."

He finally set her down, deciding that Toph must be getting dizzy from how much he had spun her around. She folded her arms and looked at him sternly, which was quite comical considering her face was still flushed.

"Happy?"

"Yeah, actually," he smiled. "Thanks, Toph."

"Good." She suddenly jabbed him on the arm, hard. "If you tell anyone about me going soft..."

"I know, I know," he replied, rubbing the sore spot. "I'll never see daylight again."

"Right. I'm going to bed." She turned on her heel, leaving Aang alone on the rooftop.

He gazed back up at the starlit sky, thinking back on the different directions his family was going. True, it was going to be lonely, but he knew that the distance wouldn't change the fact that they are a family, and always will be.

Besides, if he could get a hug like that every now and then, he at least had something to look forward to.

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A/N: I actually don't know if this is romantic or not, it kinda ended up writing itself. I just like seeing Toph and Aang in different situations. Review please!


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